Scars From A Lifetime Ago
by MusicalBox09
Summary: One-shot. Musical-verse. Jack is haunted by the scars of his past, but Katherine becomes his comfort and his refuge. Rated T for mentions of mild violence and child abuse. Jack/Katherine fluff. Mainly a character study on Jack and Katherine.


**Hi there! So it's been a few weeks. I've been busy with a summer theatre workshop at school for a few weeks now(both for extra credit and experience. :D ), but I have some extra free time for now. Thus, I decided to post this short one-shot that has been sitting in my hard drive for far too long.**

 **This fic's fluffier than what I'm normally used to writing, but after watching some Newsies clips I was motivated to write some oneshots about Jack and Katherine. They're just _so adorable_. *squeals***

 **Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this little oneshot. Some parts may come across as a little bit too cliche, but I wrote this guy in one of my sleepless nights and my mind was still on fangirl-mode while the rest of my body wanted my brain to just shut up and let me sleep. :P**

 **DISCLAIMER: NO, I do not own Newsies or the characters.**

* * *

"Whoa, Ace, you really don't have to do this, you know," Jack nervously said as Katherine started slipping the button out through their button-holes.

* * *

They were both in her apartment, and the moon was shining brightly through her bedroom window. Jack had climbed up her fire escape and knocked on her window, eyes wide in fear and fresh from his latest nightmare.

She had opened it for him, of course, and soon he was buried in the comfort of her arms. Her lips were whispering softly into his ear and rubbing soothing circles on his back as he had trembled and tightened his arms around her.

Eventually, like the reporter she was, Katherine had begun to ask him about his nightmare. Jack had stiffened at first, refusing to answer her, until her prodding had finally gotten him to talk.

"I dreamt that Snyder and them Delanceys were beatin' me up again, only _you_ was there to see it. They had me cuffed to a pole and did all sorts'a things there... It was real bad, but then-" he cut off, shaking his head and pulling away.

He had turned away and has started wringing his newsboy cap in his hands."What did they do to you?" she had quietly inquired. Damn her being such a reporter, but she wanted to know how to help him.

"Oh, they just beat me up a little, that's all," he had chuckled darkly.

"Nothin' they didn't do to me before."

Katherine had narrowed her eyes and had moved closer to him.

"You're not telling me something, Jack Kelly."

"Wha-what? I ain't hiding nothin' from you, Ace," he had stammered, standing up and turning to face her. Raising one eyebrow at him, she stood from the side of the bed across him, huffed and stated, "Oh, is that so? I don't know what's making you hide these things from me, but I _do_ know that you would hide something from me because you're afraid to hurt and or anger me."

Jack just flushed bright red with his mouth opening and closing like a fish, not knowing what to say. Katherine had to stifle her own laughter at that. He was so adorable when he did that.

Katherine cracked a wide smile. "Jack, you idiot."

She walked up to him and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, sobering immediately when he sheepishly looked down at his shoes.

"You really don't have to do that. You can tell me, and I promise I won't hate you or leave you because of it."

Jack raised his head to hers and met her eyes with his pained but hopeful eyes.

"For sure?"

She smiled at his question, taking his hand and squeezing it.

"For sure."

He took a deep breath and continued his story.

"So they kept beating me, and you was beggin' them to stop but they didn't. Then they took my shirt off and-" he trailed off.

"Jack, go on," she prodded gently, taking his head in her hands and pressed it to her chest.

He nodded sadly. "They showed you all the damage they did to me. It was horrible, Ace. They were so proud to show it, and they were even adding more as they mocked me and told you to find someone who could do so much better than me. Then you ran away and I woke up."

Katherine drew back a little, shocked. Were his scars so bad that she would run away from him? She knew had to see them and prove that she would fulfill her promise.

* * *

So now she was finished with the last button, pulling his shirt off his shoulders and hissed in surprise.

His chest was mottled with dark blue and purple bruises. Scars from every kind of sharp material she could name were all over his body. His scars even ran down below his beltline. There were burn marks all over, too.

Jack felt so vulnerable under her gaze that he felt really uncomfortable. He turned around to hide his tears from her, but he realized his mistake when she drew another gasp of horror.

She _really_ wasn't supposed to see those.

Jack cringed when she ran a gentle finger on all the _other_ scars on his back. Now that she had seen that the extent of his damage was beyond repair, he was prepared to be kicked out her house and never come back. Stifling a wave of emotion, Jack closed his eyes tightly and took a deep breath.

When Katherine had opened his shirt, she realized that she was not only seeing his scars on the outside but on the inside as well. She now understood why he was so insecure about their relationship. His vulnerability and fear of being abandoned once again was so clear in his nervous actions. His demeanor showed that he was broken to the core.

But if Katherine Plumber was anything, she was an ambitious young journalist who was always determined in helping those in need and so driven to fight for what's right. But Jack also knew that she was one who put others' need before hers and was the sweetest and the kindest person he knew. So she swiftly and tightly wrapped this broken man in her arms and held him close.

Jack stiffened when she wrapped her arms around him. What did he ever do to deserve her? He turned around in her arms and let her play with his cap and run her fingers through his deep brown curls, melting at her soothing gestures just a little bit.

Eventually, he pulled away and took her hands in his, stopping her protests and looking into her eyes earnestly.

"Ace, why would you love someone like me? Someone who's scarred and broke? You deserve someone who doesn't live in the streets, someone who can provide for you. You know I could never give you anything more," he mumbled.

"Yes you can, Jack. You've given me a family of wonderful brothers. Happiness. Love." She kissed his forehead softly at the last word. "And about your scars, I don't care about them because they don't truly define who you are. You're a wonderful and beautiful soul in here, Jack," she indicated his heart.

"I love you, and never doubt my loyalty to you. You have my word for that." For a second there, Jack suddenly looked like the ambitious,young and boy who had just escaped from the Refuge.

He teared up at her words. "You mean that, Ace?"

She nodded. "Of course I do."

He still wasn't satisfied. "Even though I could never open myself to you fully?"

She squeezed his hand and smiled reassuringly. "Yes, Jack."

At that, he pressed his lips to hers and pulled her to him, kissing her fiercely. She immediately responded, hands in his hair and kissing him with as much passion as he was. They fell on the bed together, the kiss broken. He wrapped the soft blanket around them and kissed her again, only softer this time.

"Ace..."

"Yeah?"

He broke away a little and sighed. "I really wanna open every aspect of myself to you. I just...can't do it myself. I need you to help me." His eyes were pained as she traced his scars gently with her fingers.

"Don't worry, Jack. You'll be fine now. I'll be here to help you and to hold you when the nightmares take over again. You're welcome to knock on my window anytime," she said as she took his cap off and played with his hair again. Jack slowly began to drift off.

"Thanks Ace. G'night."

She smiled and kissed his nose, cuddling into him.

"Anytime, Jack. Anytime."

 **Please do review. :) I'll be posting more of my archived oneshots in a bit. ^_^**


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